Spotlight on The Black Sheep's bar burger

By Nick Guy

Photo by kc kratt

If you want the Black Sheep burger, you have to get it at the bar—while it lasts. Spree writer Nick Guy and Black Sheep chef Steve Gedra explain why in the following article and in this accompanying video by Buffalo State College students Devon Lee, Paul Arzu, and Anthony Riggs.

Chef Steve Gedra is known for elevating simple ingredients to gourmet indulgences, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that his hamburger is a truly impressive sandwich. While the two patties and three layers of bun may remind you of a certain fast food chain’s signature burger, one bite will quickly quiet those thoughts. Local quality ingredients and Ellen Gedra’s in-house baking combine to form one of the best burgers in town.

The beef is chuck from Plato Dale Farm, ground with marrow and suet (raw beef fat). The patties are pressed thin on the flat top, developing a crunchy exterior from the sear. Each is then topped with housemade Thousand Island dressing, onions, and five-year old Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. It’s an ooey-gooey mess in the best possible way, with the cheese adding a huge amount of character. Served with pickled vegetables and a mountain of fries, the only way to be disappointed by this burger is by missing out on it—which can easily happen. It’s only served in the bar room and in limited quantities. “We basically grind about six pounds a day; when they’re gone, they’re gone,” Gedra says. “I’ve learned it’s so much better to grind daily. If I could, I’d grind to order. Someday I will.”